The Abbey Of Megemont – Clunisian Site

The Cistercian abbey of Mègemont was founded in 1206 by Dauphin, Count of Auvergne, for nuns. Around 1575, Captain Merle’s Huguenots destroyed some of the buildings and burned the archives. In 1612, the young abbess Françoise de Nérestang, followed by her nuns, left Mègemont to swap with her brother Claude,(…)

The Cistercian abbey of Mègemont was founded in 1206 by Dauphin, Count of Auvergne, for nuns. Around 1575, Captain Merle’s Huguenots destroyed some of the buildings and burned the archives. In 1612, the young abbess Françoise de Nérestang, followed by her nuns, left Mègemont to swap with her brother Claude, abbot of the Cistercian abbey of La Bénisson-Dieu in the Loire. From then on, Mègemont was occupied by monks. In 1743, the monks’ building, destroyed by the Huguenots, was rebuilt. During the French Revolution (1793), the abbey was sold as national property and became a farm building. It remained so until the commune of Chassagne, in partnership with the Association “Les Amis de l’Abbaye de Mègemont” created in 1992, purchased the church from the last owner. The entire abbey was listed as a Monument Historique in 1995. Major restoration work has been carried out on the church. New projects to restore and embellish the abbey are currently under study.
The association “Les Amis de l’Abbaye de Mègemont” (Friends of Mègemont Abbey) was founded in 1992 with the aim of protecting and safeguarding the abbey, enhancing its value, encouraging historical and archaeological studies, promoting the abbey and organizing visits and cultural events.
For several years now, many artists have wished to perform in the abbey : they particularly appreciate the charm of the place, and the welcoming conditions.